Setting Up WebLogic Server for HTTP Tunneling

Setting Up WebLogic Server for HTTP Tunneling

Setting Up WebLogic Server for HTTP Tunneling

Answer # 1

HTTP tunneling provides a way to simulate a stateful socket connection between WebLogic Server and a Java client when your only option is to use the HTTP protocol. It is generally used to tunnel through an HTTP port in a security firewall. HTTP is a stateless protocol, but WebLogic Server provides tunneling functionality to make the connection appear to be a regular T3Connection. However, you can expect some performance loss in comparison to a normal socket connection. Configuring the HTTP Tunneling Connection Under the HTTP protocol, a client may only make a request, and then accept a reply from a server. The server may not voluntarily communicate with the client, and the protocol is stateless, meaning that a continuous two-way connection is not possible. WebLogic HTTP tunneling simulates a T3Connection via the HTTP protocol, overcoming these limitations. There are two attributes that you can configure in the Administration Console to tune a tunneled connection for performance. It is advised that you leave them at their default settings unless you experience connection problems. These properties are used by the server to determine whether the client connection is still valid, or whether the client is still alive. Enable Tunneling Enables or disables HTTP tunneling. HTTP tunneling is disabled by default. Note that the server must also support both the HTTP and T3 protocols in order to use HTTP tunneling. Tunneling Client Ping When an HTTP tunnel connection is set up, the client automatically sends a request to the server, so that the server may volunteer a response to the client. The client may also include instructions in a request, but this behavior happens regardless of whether the client application needs to communicate with the server. If the server does not respond (as part of the application code) to the client request within the number of seconds set in this attribute, it does so anyway. The client accepts the response and automatically sends another request immediately. Default is 45 seconds; valid range is 20 to 900 seconds. Tunneling Client Timeout If the number of seconds set in this attribute have elapsed since the client last sent a request to the server (in response to a reply), then the server regards the client as dead, and terminates the HTTP tunnel connection. The server checks the elapsed time at the interval specified by this attribute, when it would otherwise respond to the client's request. Default is 40 seconds; valid range is 10 to 900 seconds.